CVE-2013-5825 in Java SE
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, Java SE 5.0u51 and earlier, JRockit R28.2.8 and earlier, JRockit R27.7.6 and earlier, and Java SE Embedded 7u40 and earlier allows remote attackers to affect availability via vectors related to JAXP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5825 represents a critical availability threat within Oracle Java SE and JRockit runtime environments. This weakness affects multiple Java versions including Java SE 7u40 and earlier, Java SE 6u60 and earlier, Java SE 5.0u51 and earlier, along with various JRockit versions. The vulnerability specifically relates to the Java API for XML Processing JAXP component which serves as a fundamental interface for XML processing within Java applications. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability indicates that attackers can exploit this weakness to disrupt system availability through network-based attacks without requiring authentication or specialized privileges.
The technical flaw resides within the JAXP implementation's handling of XML processing operations, where maliciously crafted XML documents or processing instructions can trigger unexpected behavior in the Java runtime environment. This weakness falls under the broader category of availability vulnerabilities that can lead to denial of service conditions. The attack vector operates through remote exploitation, meaning that adversaries can leverage this vulnerability from external networks without requiring physical access to the target system. The vulnerability's impact extends across multiple Java implementations including Oracle's standard Java SE, Java SE Embedded, and the JRockit JVM, creating a widespread attack surface that affects various deployment scenarios from enterprise servers to embedded devices.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Java-based applications and services. The availability impact can result in complete service disruption, system unresponsiveness, or application crashes that affect business operations and user access. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform denial of service attacks against Java applications that process XML data, potentially affecting web services, enterprise applications, and any system that utilizes JAXP for XML processing. The vulnerability's presence in both standard Java SE implementations and JRockit JVMs means that organizations running embedded systems, enterprise applications, or cloud-based services may all be at risk. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for systems exposed to untrusted network traffic.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-5825 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Java installations across all supported versions. Organizations must implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes to identify and remediate all affected systems within their infrastructure. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to limit access to Java applications that process external XML data, while input validation mechanisms should be strengthened to prevent malformed XML processing. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks, and CWE-400 which covers unchecked error conditions in software systems. Additionally, implementing application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection while maintaining operational visibility into potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that all Java-based systems remain protected against similar vulnerabilities in the future.